Galaxy Z Flip 7 competitor promises a large top screen and a new chip

It was less than a month ago that we last spoke of the Huawei Pocket 3, and now it has a release date… sort of.

The heavily-sanctioned-by-the-US-but-ressurected company is going to soon present yet another clamshell foldable, and it's going against the Galaxy Z Flip 6 (and, potentially, against the Galaxy Z Flip 7 once it materializes). Though there isn't an official, concrete date, rumors are hinting at a March release, confirming what we've reported earlier. We're a couple of weeks away from the unveiling, if they hold true.

It's claimed that the Huawei Pocket 3 will feature a larger top screen than that of the Galaxy Z Flip 6 and its 3.4-inch AMOLED cover screen. Huawei previously graced the Pocket 2 with a 1.15-inch cover display and the Nova Flip with a 2.14-inch external screen. So, the company is making a significant update, if it indeed goes with a bigger screen than Samsung's top display.

Initial reports suggest that Huawei's upcoming vertical foldable will be slimmer and more compact than its predecessors. Additionally, the Pocket 3 foldable is expected to debut with a more refined design, featuring a new power button layout. The clamshell could come with a "makeup box" design, whatever that means.

The Huawei Pocket 3 will exclusively run on HarmonyOS NEXT, unlike the Mate 70 series, which offers multiple software versions. This means users won't have access to Android applications but will rely on HarmonyOS NEXT-based alternatives.

Finally, Huawei's upcoming Pocket 3 foldable may feature a modified version of the Kirin 9020 chipset. This could be the Kirin 9020s, a slightly downclocked version of the original chip. A similar chipset powers the Mate 70 Pro Premium Edition, though Huawei has yet to confirm its exact name.

However, a Geekbench listing suggests a lower clocked large core configuration, distinguishing it from the original 9020. When addressing the performance differences, Huawei stated that the Mate 70 Pro Premium Edition delivers a 35% improvement over the Mate 60 Pro, while the Mate 70 Pro offers a 40% boost.

In a few weeks time we'll have the information, so stick around!